Targeted at UK and international businesses aiming to benefit from the airport location, ALPHA has already generated strong interest from potential occupiers with announcements expected shortly.

The 130,000 sq ft development is the first on the site built by Airport City JV partner, Beijing Construction Engineering Group International (BCEGI) and offers logistics units ranging from 17,500 sq ft to 35,000 sq ft.

Yu Dongwen, acting lead director at BCEGI (UK) said: “We are very proud to have completed the ALPHA project, particularly at such a prestigious development as Airport City Manchester.

"As a contractor and joint venture partner in Airport City we have great confidence in the development and believe it will act as a magnet for inward investment into the North West, which will bring economic benefits and employment to the region.”

Completed on time and on budget, ALPHA was forward sold during its construction for £12.2m to the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF), which was advised by LaSalle Investment Management. The building has now been handed over to GMPF.

(Image: Hufton & Crow)

Councillor Susan Quinn, Chair of GMPF Property Working Group, said: “We’re delighted that our infrastructure partnership with Airport City has once again delivered on our stated goal of hands-on direct investment and successful collaboration.

"This investment will give us the strong levels of return we seek as well as provide badly needed opportunities for international businesses and jobs for Greater Manchester. We look forward to welcoming our first tenants and their staff."

Read More

The construction of ALPHA follows the successful completion of Amazon’s 654,000 sq ft warehouse and fulfilment centre, which became operational in November 2016, playing a key role in the international company’s Christmas shopping period.

ALPHA and the Amazon fulfilment centre have joined the 37,400 sq ft DHL Global Logistics facility at the expanding Airport City development. Situated at the heart of a government Enterprise Zone, Airport City is one of the UK’s largest joint venture commercial development projects.

ALPHA has excellent access to the M56 and is located next to Manchester Airport’s World Freight Terminal, which already handles 106,000 tonnes of cargo every year.